Deicer for aircraft

Abstract

A deicer pad for use on the airfoil of an aircraft wherein the pad has an elastomeric flexible covering with metallic spaced strips embedded therein in side by side relationship. An electromagnetic field pulse generator is mounted within the airfoil adjacent to the strips for imparting successive pulses to the strip for movement thereof to effect de-icing.

I claim: 
     
       1. A deicer device for use on an airfoil of an aircraft wherein said airfoil has a leading edge, said deicer device consisting of a flexible sheet like protective covering, said covering made from a dielectric flexible composition material for mounting upon said airfoil and extending over said leading edge of aid airfoil, said covering having an outwardly disposed surface, a plurality of metallic strips extending in spaced side-by-side relation in said covering, each of aid strips surrounded by said flexible composition material, and means for generating electromagentic field pulses mounted in said airfoil to effect intermittent movement to said metallic strips for breaking up ice on said leading edge of said airfoil. 
     
     
       2. A deicer device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strips extend in a direction generally parallel to the leading edge. 
     
     
       3. A deicer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strips extend in planes that are generally normal to the leading edge of the airfoil. 
     
     
       4. A deicer device as set forth in claim 1 wherein aid pulse generating means is a single electro-dynamic coil, and said covering is a single layer containing said strip in a single curvilinear layer. 
     
     
       5. A deicer device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pulse generating means comprises a plurality of electro-dynamic coils located adjacent said surface of said covering of said deicer device. 
     
     
       6. A deicer device for use on an airfoil that has a leading edge on an aircraft, said deicer device pad comprising a pad consisting of a dielectric flexible elastomeric covering for mounting over the leading edge of said airfoil, and a plurality of laterally spaced strips embedded in said elastomeric covering; the device further comprising electromagnetic pulse generating means mounted in said airfoil close to said covering, and power source means for imparting successive energy to said pulse generating means to effect a movement to said strips and said covering in response to a magnetic pulsed field of said pulse generating means to deice said covering.